


Mutual Interests

by TrashLord_007



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Adult Content, Alternate Universe - College/University, College, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Mild Language, Sexual Humor, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, Will Update Tags As It Goes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2018-10-29 19:14:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10860321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrashLord_007/pseuds/TrashLord_007
Summary: Ushijima Wakatoshi. One of the few people in this world Oikawa couldn't pretend to like was not only going to be on his volleyball team for the foreseeable future but also in at least one of his classes. One class was one too many.College AU with them boys.It's like Seinfeld in college with volleyball idiots.





	1. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa, Sugawara, Ushijima and Kuroo attending the same college. What could go wrong?

    Oikawa pinched himself. Nothing happened. He pinched himself again. The teacher kept rattling on about group projects, but still he wasn't waking up from what had to be a nightmare. You wouldn't think that professors would waste time on forcing their students to get to know each other, but this one was foreign and new. She had positive ideals and high expectations and she smiled too much. If this had been any other class, Oikawa would have liked her. He glanced around the class, eyes landing on the person he dreaded the most. Ushijima Wakatoshi. If they were grouped together, dropping out and moving to a different country would be his only option. He refused to spend any more time than he had to with his declared rival. He cursed his luck when olive eyes met his own, the larger male nodding once before facing the front once more. There was no way that his day could continue down this path; it was leading him straight into the fiery pits of Hell. 

    It had started when he first reached his dorm room and everything just went downhill from there. He had waited until the very last minute to move his crap into the room, not giving himself enough time to unpack before his first class would start. That's when he learned that his new roommate was none other than Mr. Refreshing from Karasuno. Sugawara didn't seem like a bad person - he just didn't want to spend another minute with a single person he had met in high school. Without Iwaizumi (and if he was feeling generous, Matsukawa and Hanamaki), high school would have been just another boring ordeal filled with mediocre memories. Without Iwaizumi, college was going to be just another bland experience in the journey toward an ordinary life with a plain job and a plain house. He didn't want to be reminded of how his high school volleyball career had ended too soon. He didn’t want to be reminded of how far he now had to travel just to see his best friend. Suga wasn't a bad person, but he was sure to rustle up plenty of old memories of a time Oikawa would rather leave in the past. Now they were stuck together for the semester. 

    Considering his name was Suga, he didn't bother to sugarcoat anything. Upon learning they had the same class, he insisted they walk together. Though Oikawa didn't want to, he had no reason not to. Sugawara had a skip in his step the entire trek and never let his smile falter, a feat Oikawa admired given how damn early it was. He told him that a friend of his, Kuroo, and his roommate also had the same class. Oikawa couldn't fathom why he was telling him this, since he didn't care about this Kuroo or his roommate, until Suga casually mentioned as they walked into the class who the roommate was. Ushijima Wakatoshi. One of the few people in this world he couldn't pretend to like was not only going to be on his volleyball team for the foreseeable future but also in at least one of his classes. One class was one too many.

    In an attempt to make compatible groups with shared interests, their professor wanted them to write down two things they enjoyed. Oikawa wanted to write volleyball, but he knew Ushijima would as well. He didn't know what to write to avoid having to spend any more time than necessary around his rival. Ushijima was boring and simple, but he had to have another hobby aside from volleyball. He had no idea what his rival might write, however. Oikawa groaned.

    “Hey, Oikawa-san. Would you like to be in my group?” 

    He had forgotten about the silver-haired man next to him. If he wrote volleyball, he could be put in a group with both Ushijima and Sugawara alongside some other volleyball obsessed weirdo. Oikawa peered at the smiling face next to him. Suga had mentioned not wanting to join the team during their brief conversation in the crowded hallways on the way here. Perhaps he wasn't planning on writing down volleyball and wanted to know what Oikawa’s second interest was so they would have at least one mutual interest. Sugawara looked like a normal, nice guy. He would have two normal interests that Ushijima definitely wouldn't have because Ushijima was anything but normal. Oikawa grinned and threw up a peace sign.

    “I'd love to be in a group with you, Mr. Refreshing-kun!”

    “Aside from volleyball, what are you writing down?”

    Oikawa laughed, the sound echoing throughout the room, “I'm not putting volleyball down. I'll just write whatever you think will get us in the same group.”

    “We have to write volleyball so we can be in the same group as Kuroo-san.”

    “No, no, no. If we choose volleyball as an interest, we'll be put into a group with Ushiwaka. He'll probably put it down twice because it's the only thing he's good at,” Oikawa muttered, rolling his eyes.

    Sugawara laughed and threw his hands up in mock surrender. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Suga waving his fingers at a tall male with messy, black hair. He seemed to want to gain his attention but it just looked awkward and was proving to be unsuccessful. Oikawa took pity on his roommate as he scrunched up a loose piece of paper and threw it across the room. It landed in front of whom he assumed was Kuroo. The same Kuroo who was rooming with Ushijima. The same Kuroo who turned away from his conversation with Ushijima to face Suga with a sly grin. This Kuroo may want to be in the same group as his roommate for convenience; they would be spending a lot of time together as it is so having to work on a group project together would be easy. Maybe Kuroo even liked Ushijima, maybe they were already buddies. Oikawa watched Suga mouth ‘be weird’ to the lanky male, to which he received a thumbs up and a wink. Oikawa kicked himself; he shouldn't have gotten involved. 

    “Here, let me write yours,” Suga whispered as he pulled the small slip out from under Oikawa’s fingers.

    “Whatever, just don't write volleyball.”

    Oikawa could have drowned in his regret. There was a mischievous glint in Sugawara’s eyes as he filled out both slips. His lips curled up at the corners as he tried to hide a smirk. Both his right foot and right fingers tapped, not with unease but with excitement. There was no doubt about it; Suga was up to something. Oikawa shivered as his roommate returned the papers to their teacher with a grin that spread from ear to ear. He dropped his head onto his desk with a loud thud when he saw her eyes widened and she facepalmed. Sugawara’s laugh resonated within the room and within Oikawa’s very soul. The sound was so sweet and pure, yet he knew better. Suga was no angel. He should have known better than to trust someone from Karasuno. 

    They were told to read from their textbook for the remainder of the class while their professor decided on the groups. Oikawa didn't know what to expect from college, but he had hoped it would be different from high school. So far, it was worse. Much worse. He could have read from the comfort of his bed with some snacks and a warm blanket instead of being stuck in this stuffy room. He didn't need a group to pass this course, a course that was designed for toddlers no less. Who the hell assigns a ten page paper about what they did over the break? Bloody foreigners, that's who. It was the type of assignment you received in high school as busy work so the teacher could assess your skills and pretend to learn more about you. Oikawa snapped out of his reverie upon hearing the professor clear her throat.

    “Well, I've learned some interesting things about you all! I've learned some pretty disturbing things as well… You know who you are,” she mumbled, shaking her head. “There's a lot of talent and varying personalities in here. I've done my best to make compatible groups. You should have received an individual syllabus already, if not collect it alongside the group syllabus on the way out. You're dismissed.”

    “I feel like I just wasted precious moments of my life on absolutely nothing,” Oikawa groaned as he trudged to the front of the room. Suga slapped his back, the largest smile gracing his features, before grabbing four packets off the desk. 

    “Great news, Oikawa-san! We're in the same group!”

    “Great! Who el-”

    “Kuroo-san! Ushijima-san! You're in our group, I have your packets!”

    Oikawa clenched his fists around the packet Suga had handed him. Sure enough, at the top written in bright red ink was _his_ name. Ushijima Wakatoshi. The one person in the entire class he didn't want to spend any time with was going to be apart of his group and, judging by the thickness of the packet, he would be spending quite a lot of time on projects with him. With narrowed eyes, he looked over to the two males that were talking amicably with Suga. Oikawa’s energy was all but drained. He wasn't a morning person as it was, but this catastrophe called Monday was just too much for him. He had skipped breakfast and his stomach ached. He couldn't muster even a small smile at this point. Oikawa sighed; he had no other choice. 

    “Professor, uh, Ross, may I-”

    “It's Rose. Professor Rose.”

    “Of course, I'm so sorry! May I speak to you about switching groups?”

    “You're part of the volleyball group, right? I don't think I'll ever be able to watch the sport the same way again…” she trembled as she recalled their ‘interests’. 

    “What?”

    “Anyway, the groups are final. Now get on out of here, I have work to do and so do you!”

    His eyebrow twitched but he did what he was told. He didn't see any of the three people he was now tied to for the semester. Counting his blessings, he left the room and began to walk to his dorm. His mind was racing at a million miles an hour as a large hand clasped his shoulder. Large chocolate eyes met narrowed hazel eyes. A lopsided grin spread across the other male’s face. Oikawa hesitated, stopping in his tracks, before flashing a smile of his own. Even a child would be able to see through it, but it was the best he could do. He was just plain exhausted. 

    “You must be Kuroo-chan! I'm glad we're in the same group!”

    “Sure you are,” Kuroo chuckled. “The first project is due on Wednesday, so we're meeting in your dorm.”

    “Now?” Oikawa bit back his internal screaming as the raven-haired man nodded. “Let's go, then!”

    They didn't speak. They didn't look at each other. They just walked in silence and Oikawa appreciated it. He had enough to worry about without trying to make small talk. He tried to remember when he had walked under a ladder or broken a mirror because his bad luck just wasn't easing up. In his dorm, at this very moment, Ushijima would be waiting for him. His rival was waiting for him so they could work on some assignment _together_. It felt like a joke. He sighed as he opened the door. His bags were still sprawled out across his side of the room as he didn't have enough time to put anything away this morning. Suga and Ushijima were sitting on the floor with some materials and notes spread out between them. Ushijima gave a small nod before returning his attention to the work before him. Suga waved, eyes glistening as he greeted them.

    “Oikawa-san, you made it!”

    “Of course I did, Suga-chan! It's my dorm as well, remember?”

    “Let's introduce oursel-”

    “There's no need, Suga-chan! We all already know each other! I do have a question for you, though,” Oikawa hummed before his eyes darkened and his tone deepened, “What the hell did you write? I've never felt so much disgust radiate off a teacher before!”

    “I'm curious as well. Kuroo insisted on writing mine,” Ushijima interjected. 

    “Oh, hold on. She stapled them to the back of my packet.”

    Suga looked over the slips of paper once, biting his lip as he handed the packet to Kuroo. Unlike his smaller, delicate friend, Kuroo didn't bother to hold back his amusement. The room reverberated with the sound of his deafening laugh. He slapped his knee twice as he tossed the packet to Ushijima, before wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. He continued to laugh as the Ace of Shiratorizawa froze. A blush tinted his cheeks as he offered the paper to Oikawa. He couldn't maintain eye contact and averted his gaze, earning a scoff from Oikawa. His chocolate eyes narrowed as he read through the ridiculous ‘interests’ listed. One thing caught his eye and he felt a surge of anger flow through his veins.

**Ushijima Wakatoshi:** Volleyball. Volleyball. My life is volleyball. Oh, and I like to be degraded and humiliated.  
    **Kuroo Tetsurou:** Being called Daddy. Spanking. Being spanked. Volleyball is pretty fun too.  
    **Sugawara Koushi:** Volleyball is great! I also have an interest in boys that wear collars and beg for me.  
    **Oikawa Tooru:** I enjoy being choked, it's the only way I can get off! _Volleyball is my life!!_

    “I told you not to write volleyball!” Oikawa snapped, lips turning upward in a snarl. Throwing the packet at Suga, he fell to the floor. He ignored the other setter’s melodic laughter that was in stark contrast to Kuroo’s hearty chuckles. A warm hand rubbed his back and Oikawa gazed over to Ushijima. A slight frown tugged at his lips as he nodded and Oikawa felt his irritation seeping away. Ushijima wasn't adept at comforting others and he looked weird. Yet the sight lightened his mood all the same and, to both of their surprise, Oikawa smiled. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I regret everything.  
> I just wanted Oikawa and Suga to be roommates. I also think Ushioi is a cute ship. Kuroo and Oikawa need to meet already ffs.  
> Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it ^^/
> 
> 5.8.17


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Them college boys go to a party!

    Suga sighed. Instead of helping with the finishing touches for their first project, he had spent the last hour begging for someone to go with him to some house party near the college. After completing his assignments for the upcoming week and his portion of the group project, he insisted on having a fun night out. To his dismay, none of his peers were as caught up as he was nor did they wish to be hungover tomorrow when their first class started at 7am. He had received a resounding ‘no’ from both Kuroo and Oikawa. Ushijima, on the other hand, was softer than the other two. Suga knew he could wear him down. 

    “We can't waste our lives on homework! We're young, we're free!” Suga whined, falling back onto Ushijima’s bed.

    “It's probably not a good idea,” Ushijima mumbled to the small setter beside him whilst typing away on his laptop like his life depended on it.

    “It is! We need to relax just as much as study! Right, Kuroo-san?”

    Suga frowned as he stared across the room. Oikawa had textbooks and notebooks spread across Kuroo’s bed and the raven-haired man was lying on the floor next to him. Kuroo was entertaining himself by stealing Oikawa’s notes without the other noticing. Whenever Kuroo managed to steal a paper from the bed, he smirked and ate a jellybean. Oikawa muttered about losing his mind as he searched for specific notes, causing Kuroo’s smirk to grow into a lopsided grin. They continued their conversation and their one-sided game, Oikawa still oblivious to the thief.

    “I could've gone weirder, to be honest. I went pretty softcore.”

    “That doesn't make it any better, Kuroo-chan. If anything, it makes it worse!”

    “Like you can talk. Want me to slap you around a little or are you just into choking?”

    “I didn't write that!” Oikawa snapped, flinging his pencil at Kuroo’s head. Kuroo cackled, the sound as loud as thunder; Suga rolled his eyes.

    “Actually, nevermind about them. Come on, Ushijima-san! It'll be fun! You need to loosen up, anyway!”

    Ushijima stopped typing as he pondered the statement. He didn't feel tense nor did he think his life lacked anything. He placed the laptop on his nightstand before facing the awaiting eyes of his comrade. “Well, I _would_ feel bad if you went alone.”

    Suga squealed as he jumped to his feet, a gleeful shimmer in his eyes. Displaying inhuman strength, he dragged the brunet to his feet. Dropping his much larger hands, he crossed over to the closet. Upon noticing the other was still standing by the bed, he beckoned him over with a wave. With heavy strides, Ushijima stood next to the bouncing ball of energy once known as Sugawara as he tore through his clothes. He frowned but didn't say anything as his shirts and pants fell onto the floor. Tossing a leather jacket and a light grey hoodie onto the bed, Suga spun around on his heels as he examined Ushijima and then the two articles of clothing.

    “Hmm, that'll work,” he murmured as he tapped a finger against his cheek.

    “What I'm wearing is fine then?”

    “You could wear a potato sack and be fine-” Oikawa snorted, “-but I'm thinking you should wear the leather.”

    “Sure.” Ushijima slipped the jacket over his shirt, zipping it up only to have Suga unzip it.

    “You'll be the bad boy, I'll be the pretty one. Lean down so I can fix your hair.”

    “Where are you two going?” Kuroo stretched with a yawn, leaning back across the bed to grab another piece of paper. Suga stopped wrestling Ushijima long enough to shoot a glare across the room. Resuming his battle to ruffle the other’s hair, he began to tell them the location. Before he could finish, another yawn interrupted him, “That's nice, have fun.”

    Sugawara scoffed not only at the disinterest seeping off in waves from the other side of the room but also at the lack of cooperation from Ushijima. With one last glance around the room, he stormed out the door. Oikawa began complaining about Suga’s attitude problem and Kuroo took that as the perfect opportunity to steal another note. He snickered as he gave Ushijima a thumbs up. With a final nod, he departed and pretended not to hear Oikawa’s shrill voice calling out ‘finally!’ as soon as the door closed. 

    A couple of hours passed in silence within the dorm. Oikawa started on an essay for his history course, referencing his textbook directly instead of trying to find his personal notes. Kuroo had amassed a rather large pile of papers on the floor beside him. His hand creeped up along the side of the bed, crawling toward a lone piece of paper at the edge of the duvet. Seemingly out of nowhere, a textbook flew into the back of Kuroo’s head.

    “You jerk! Give me back my notes!” Oikawa growled, leaping across the bed to grab at the other man.

    “You're so dense,” Kuroo chuckled, rolling forward to dodge the oncoming assault. 

    “I've been distracted!”

    “Worried about them?” Kuroo sneered, waving the stack of papers in front of chocolate eyes.

    Oikawa snatched his notes back, slapping Kuroo across the back of his head with a sigh, “They've been gone for quite awhile, don't you think? Do you think Suga-chan is okay stuck with Ushiwaka?” 

    “You have it backwards, you should be worried about Wakatoshi.”

    “Whatever, I'm bringing them back.”

    Kuroo smirked as he gave him a thumbs up, earning a scoff from Oikawa. He packed up his study materials and grabbed Suga’s as well. Bidding Kuroo goodnight, he left in search of the amazing party Suga had raved on about for what felt like an eternity. With a quick stop at their dorm, he picked up a jacket and dropped off their materials before heading out into the night air. The wind was cold against his face as he jogged down the street he thought Suga had mentioned earlier. It didn't take long to find the house hosting the party. Cars lined up and down the street and people swarmed around like ants to a crumb of bread. 

    Inside was much worse than he anticipated. The only word that came to Oikawa’s mind as he observed the event was distasteful. It was getting late and most people were beyond wasted. There were empty cups and bottles on every available surface. Some guys were passed out on the couch and the room was filled with the smell of marijuana. Oikawa gagged. He hated these large events where everyone just did as they pleased with no consideration for anyone else. The neighbours, if not yet infuriated by the blaring music, will probably lose their minds when they see the tire tracks and garbage littering their lawn. 

    “This party is thumping, amirite?” Oikawa glanced over at the man slurring his words beside him. Alarmed by how suddenly he had appeared and by how much he reeked of alcohol, he threw his hands up in a defensive pose.

    “Please don't talk to me ever again,” he smiled, lowering his hands once the other guy backed away. Quickening his pace, he exited into the kitchen.

    It took a mere second to spot Ushijima. He towered over most of the other partygoers. Oikawa couldn't help but laugh at his expression. It was his usual stoic look except his nose was scrunched up in what only could be described as discomfort. His eyes burned holes into his red cup rather than look down at the two girls that were grinding against him as they made out. Someone bumped into him, their drink sloshing onto his shirt, and still he didn't react. He nodded at their insincere apology, choosing to keep his focus away from the party and on his hand instead.

    “What a sorry sight you are,” Oikawa jeered, striding up beside him. 

    “Oikawa.”

    “Where's Suga-chan? I'm taking you home.”

    “No, don't take him home!” One of the girls pouted, resting her hand on Ushijima’s thigh. He shifted with discomfort, nudging the hand off. 

    “You can take us all home instead, handsome,” the second girl whisper-yelled over the music, winking at Oikawa.

    “No, thanks! He's the only one I want to take home,” Oikawa smiled and flashed a peace sign, biting his cheek to hold back his irritation. “Where is he, Ushiwaka?”

    Ushijima sighed, relaxing a little as Oikawa sidled between him and the girls, “He took off as soon as we arrived.”

    “That's great, just wonderful. I'll find him, you just stay right here and entertain these lovely ladies. Don't move,” Oikawa grinned at the taller male’s widening eyes and shaking head. “Oh, don't worry so much. I'll probably come back for you.”

    As soon as he moved, the girls were back on Ushijima. Oikawa laughed as he waved before maneuvering his way through the crowd. He searched the remaining rooms on the first floor before heading upstairs. Once that proved fruitless, he ventured into the backyard. Sure enough, in the middle of the makeshift dance floor, was Sugawara. He was covered in glitter and glow sticks and on top of his silver hair was a flower crown. Diving into the mass of sweaty bodies, Oikawa squirmed and slithered until he made his way next to the swaying limbs of his roommate. After his words fell on deaf ears, he yanked him out of the conglomerate.

    “For fucks sake! Listen to me, would you? We're going home!” Oikawa snapped, pulling the giggling mess into the house. 

    “Don't you want to do some shots, Oikawa-san?” Suga drawled as he clawed at the hand clasped around his wrists.

    “Stop that! No! We have class in a few hours, I smell like cheap desperation and Ushijima is being mauled by women!”

    “Sounds like you're upset because you want to ‘maul’ Ushijima-san.”

    “Never!” Oikawa hissed, pausing outside the doors to the kitchen.

    “Your secret is safe with me!” Suga giggled.

    “What secret?” A deep voice inquired from the doorway.

    Turning to face the voice, Oikawa groaned, “It's a secret for a reason, Ushiwaka! Didn't I tell you to wait in the kitchen?”

    “I saw you with Sugawara-san and I didn't want to be left with those women any longer.”

    “Whatever. Let's go.” Oikawa headed toward the front door, dragging Suga behind him before growling at Ushijima, “Help me carry this idiot.”

    Oikawa choked on the gasp he fought to keep down his throat as the taller male picked Sugawara up like one would a bag of potatoes. Tossing him over his shoulder and ignoring the much smaller man’s protests, he took off toward the door. Oikawa followed behind like a puppy as Ushijima led him home. Once they reached the campus, he tried to put Suga back on his own two feet but he refused to let go of Ushijima’s arm. He clung onto his frame and wouldn't let go no matter how hard the other tried to pry him off. With a soft sigh, he chose to carry him the rest of the way rather than try to wrestle him off. When they finally reached the room and Oikawa unlocked the door, Suga’s gripped had loosened. Pulling him off the very grateful Ushijima, Oikawa pushed him into their room. He narrowed his eyes at Ushijima’s concerned frown as the silver-haired male fell onto the floor. With a curt nod, Oikawa mumbled his thanks before entering his dorm.

    “Have a good night, Oikawa.”

    “Just sleep here, Ushijima-san. Oikawa’s bed has spa-” Suga’s voice was muffled by the slamming of the door.

    Oikawa dragged Sugawara to his bed, tossing him in with little care for his personal comfort or any regard for his health. He removed his shoes and all of the ridiculous glow sticks he had obtained at the party before tucking him under the sheets. Picking up the flower crown between two fingers, he threw it in the trash. Oikawa couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face as listened to Suga’s cries. While it had looked cute, he wasn't going to let him keep anything from that questionable party. It also pleased him to hear Suga sound distressed after all the worrying he had caused him. Oikawa changed into his pyjamas, standing next to his bed as he decided on his next move. Against his better judgement, he went back to Suga’s bedside.

    “You shouldn't have left Ushijima alone. You know he's awkward,” Oikawa rubbed the back of his neck, sighing as he tried articulate his next sentence. “It wasn't a very nice thing to do, he's your friend after all.”

    “Huh?” Suga hiccupped once before giggling, “I didn't think I'd receive a scolding from _you_ of all people. You don't even like him!”

    “I don't, but you didn't see how pathetic he looked. It was just sad.”

    “Aww, you do like him!” Suga teased, “You probably like him a lot! You were pretty upset when those girls were all over him, after all.”

    “Shut up!” Oikawa stomped back to his bed before calling out, “Just go to sleep!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My power was out all weekend so I didn't get to finish and post this on Sunday like I had wanted to, but it's here now!  
> Please enjoy!
> 
> 5.15.17


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Them college boys suffer through a filler chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa needs better friends.

    Oikawa bowed his head in humiliation as he entered the classroom twenty minutes late. The teacher pursed her lips in distaste but chose to continue her lecture rather than comment on his tardiness. He frowned as he scanned the sea of faces in search of his roommate and the other two idiots he was forced to work with. The trio were in the front row on the other side of the room. Oikawa sighed before he started his walk of shame. 

    Irritated eyes bore into his very soul from every angle as he trudged over to the empty spot next to Ushijima. Suga glowed as he waved at his roommate with a little too much enthusiasm. Kuroo flashed him a lopsided grin while Ushijima murmured a quiet ‘good morning’. Oikawa didn't waste any energy on returning the gestures, instead choosing to fall into the chair and groan as his head met the table with an audible _thud_.

    “Geez, can you maybe not break the desk with your over-inflated head?” Kuroo jeered from his seat at the far end of the group.

    “Oikawa-san, are you okay?” Ushijima whispered, averting his attention from Professor Rose for a split second to check on the setter.

    “Shut up, both of you,” Oikawa whined.

    He didn't look up or acknowledge the group further. Succumbing to the waves of drowsiness that were cascading down upon him, he closed his eyes. His mind was a haze and his body felt heavy. Although he hadn't had a drop of alcohol the night prior, he felt hungover. Judging by everyone else’s cheery dispositions, he was the only one that was suffering; even Sugawara seemed energetic and lively, which irritated him beyond words. That little jerk was the reason for this disaster of a morning; he shouldn't be so damn chipper. Oikawa's mind continued to race, shrouded in a fog of weariness, until he dozed off mid-lecture.

    “Oikawa-san, wake up,” a sweet voice beckoned for him, yanking him away from his pleasant dreams. The voice sounded distant but he could still recognise it: Mr. Refreshing.

    “Just leave him. It's peaceful when he's asleep.”

    “While I agree, Kuroo-san, we’ll also never hear the end of it if we do. We’ll have to carry him to the library with us.”

    “True, and Professor Rose doesn’t deserve to be stuck with him,” Kuroo laughed, the sound grating on Oikawa’s ears. He could imagine the smirk crawling across his face right now. If he wasn't so tired, he'd want to slap him. 

    Oikawa’s thoughts shifted away from his irritation toward the snarky Chemistry nerd as he felt his body lift into the air. The feeling of weightlessness, albeit brief, was enough to remind him of his situation - he was meant to be in class right now, taking notes and learning, not floating in the air. With a jolt, his body tensed and his caramel eyes sprang open. He became uncomfortably aware of the chest he was pressed into and the strong, firm arms that were cradling him. A shot of raw anger oozed through him when he realised who it was. _Ushijima_. Avoiding eye contact, he searched the room rather than look at the man. Everyone had left and, within just a few steps, their group would also be joining the bustling crowd in the hallway. There was no way in hell Oikawa would allow anyone to see him being carried bridal-style across campus by his rival.

    “Damn,” Suga cooed, “He’s having no problem with Oikawa-san. I probably felt like a feather to him.”

    Oikawa growled as he squirmed out of the ace’s grasp, ignoring the stunned looks from the three men as he slithered to the floor, “Well you looked like a potato.”

    “Hello there sleeping beauty, did you have a nice nap?”

    “Shut up, Tetsu-chan!” He snapped, lifting himself off the floor in one fluid motion. Snatching his bag from Ushijima’s shoulder, he stormed to the door and slammed it open. Professor Rose muttered something about how much of a problem child he was, but Oikawa brushed off the remark. At this point, he had given up on trying to earn her approval and respect. 

    Pointing out into the hall while his free hand rested on his hip, he sighed, “Let's just go to the library already.”

    “Library? How long have you been awake?” Kuroo questioned, his eyes narrowing as he observed the setter.

    “For quite some time, apparently. He mustn't have said anything earlier because he wanted Ushijima-san to carry him,” Suga said as he skipped past Oikawa’s reach and out into the hall. 

    The walk to the library was long, silent and awkward. Suga remained several paces ahead of the group while Kuroo strayed behind, his strides lazy and without purpose. Oikawa walked faster than usual in order to keep Ushijima trailing behind him. The effort was wasted, however, when the ace decided to match his stride with ease. No one spoke the entire journey, but with the distance between them, a conversation would have proven difficult to maintain. Oikawa rolled his eyes as he pushed past a group of rambunctious guys. He hated crowded hallways. 

    Once they arrived, they took residence at a set of desks in the back which were empty save for a few people scattered here and there. Anticipating their rowdiness, a young woman shot daggers through her ice-cold gaze. Oikawa shuddered, the sight was both new and unwelcome. He much preferred women fawning over him (though it was always troublesome at the time) rather than wishing him ill. He blamed the poor company he was keeping these days. It was times like these he missed Iwaizumi. He would have to call him later and pick up on the conversation they had left off with yesterday afternoon. It had been cut off too soon and many things were left unsaid. He didn't get a chance to cover how horrible it was working with Ushijima (the entirety of the call was wasted on the difficulties of rooming with Sugawara) because he remembered an assignment that was due first thing in the morning...

    Oikawa slammed his hand against the desk, jumping to his feet with feverish haste. His eyes bulged as he scrambled to put his work back into his bag, lips quaking as he spoke, “Shit! I didn't turn my paper in! I spent so many excruciating hours reluctantly working side by side with Kuroo-chan in order to finish it in time! So many hours wasted! So much energy wasted! This can't be happening!”

    “Don't worry about it, buddy.”

    “Don't tell me not to worry, you good-for-nothing-”

    “We turned it in for you, Oikawa-san.”

    Oikawa snapped his mouth shut, shooting a small glare at Kuroo before sitting down once more. He allowed his features to settle back into a smile before speaking up, “Oh. Thank you, Ushijima-kun.”

    “Of course. After all, it is our fault that you didn't feel a hundred percent today,” Ushijima said, returning the small smile with a slight nod. 

    “Don't be silly, Ushiwaka-chan! It wasn't your fault!” Oikawa’s gaze drifted to Suga, his eyes darkening as his tone dropped an octave, “There's only one person to blame.”

    Sugawara gulped as he scratched the back of his head as he racked his brain for a new topic. “So how about those volleyball tryouts? That's tonight, right?”

    “Like you wouldn't know,” Kuroo mused as he twirled a pen between his fingers, his attention far from the textbook he was pretending to read.

    “Well, not really. I haven't kept up on it.”

    “Oh?”

    “I'm not trying out.”

    “Don't be silly, Mr. Refreshing! Why wouldn't you try out?”

    “There's no need for me when they have you, Oikawa-san,” Suga said, the comment almost lost under the gentle hum that was building within the center of the room as people began to swarm inside. “Besides, I'm here to focus on my academics, not athletics.”

    “That's too bad,” Ushijima replied as he flipped through his notebook. Once he found the notes from today’s lesson, he slid them over to Oikawa. 

    Oikawa remained silent as he looked over the wall of immaculate text. He thought he should apologise for taking away Suga’s chance at earning a place on the team, but he had earned that spot after many years of practicing. Besides, he wasn't guaranteed to make the team either. They were holding tryouts later in the evening and it was open for everyone. He was an amazing setter, he knew this for a fact, but that didn't mean he was the best in the school. He couldn't worry about Suga when he needed to focus on himself. When did he start caring about Suga’s feelings anyway?

    Oikawa scoffed, the sound loud enough to garner the group’s attention, “You don't seem to enjoy it anyway.”

    Kuroo's mouth fell open. He was seconds away from chiding Oikawa for the callous remark when Suga laughed, “Yeah, I guess I don't anymore.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa doesn't deserve such good friends.
> 
> 7.7.17


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Them boys go for a jog.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UshiOi Week (hosted on Tumblr) is running from July 29th through to the 4th of August (2017). I was going to participate but… yeah. On the plus side, I wrote another chapter of this instead!

    “So how did practice go?” Suga asked, twirling a strand of his silver hair with his pointer finger as he gazed at the ceiling. 

    When he received no immediate response, Suga peered at each of his comrades. Ushijima had his textbook open but his attention was far from the words on the page. His eyes were hazy as he looked out the window, observing two students outside playing with a frisbee. Unlike Ushijima, Oikawa and Kuroo weren't even pretending to study. Kuroo’s legs were spread out to the side of his chair and his head was tilted back as he emitted a constant, low groan. Oikawa sat between his fellow volleyball players and across from Suga. Lifting his head from its resting spot on the table, he stared at Suga. It might have been considered a glare had his eyes been more fiery and less deadpan.

    “That good, huh?” Suga jeered, earning simultaneous grunts from each of the men. 

    They all fell into silence as they stared into the distance. Suga was the first to yawn, creating a chain reaction and within seconds the whole group was yawning. They were weary after their first volleyball practice. Once they were chosen and accepted onto the team, the coach informed them that they would be meeting every day without fail and needed to be doing their own individual training regimen on top of team practice. While they were all in great shape, they weren't expecting such a gruelling set of exercises on the first day and they were exhausted.

    Pushing themselves away from the table and slumping in their chairs, they began to sprawl out and get comfortable. Minutes passed and the boys started to doze off. Kuroo started snoring, gaining the attention of the other students in the library. Ushijima’s head bobbed up and down as he tried to fight off his drowsiness, opening his eyes every few seconds only to have them close once more as he drifted back to sleep. It wasn't until Oikawa’s head dropped onto the table and Suga began to cackle, unable to feign his fatigue any longer, that the librarian stormed over to their table. Slamming his hand against the wooden surface with a thunderous _smack_ , he glowered at each of the boys as their eyes jolted open and they straightened themselves in their chairs.

    “Excuse me, gentlemen. This is a library, not your bedroom. If you wish to sleep, go elsewhere,” he snapped at them, crossing his arms over his chest.

    “Please forgive us! It won't happen again,” Oikawa said as he rubbed the reddening mark on his forehead. 

    “It better not,” he sighed, turning away from the group and glaring at the other students that were now snickering. Silence once again engulfed the room as he stomped back to his desk in the center of the library.

    “I'm so worn out,” Oikawa whined once the hum of quiet chatter echoed throughout the room again.

    “I can't even keep my eyes open. I need a nap,” Kuroo groaned as he stretched his legs under the table, kicking aside a pair of feet that got in his way.

    “Stop that! Keep your legs in your own area!”

    “It's not my fault my legs are so long, Oikawa-san. I need extra room.”

    “You're just doing it to piss me off!”

    Kuroo chuckled as he lowered himself down into his chair, pushing his legs further into Oikawa’s space. He grinned when Oikawa tried to nudge his feet back over to his side. They began to wrestle, their legs entwining and interlocking as they fought for the extra legroom. Kicking at one another, the table began to shake and tremble. The sound of their knees bumping the wooden underside of the desk resonated throughout the room. The librarian shot them a glare, which they ignored as they continued to battle.

    Ushijima raised a curious brow while Suga rolled his eyes at the display. Neither spoke up, however, as the table continued to rock. This continued for several minutes until Kuroo pushed Oikawa and his chair away from the desk. Scowling, Oikawa stood up and stretched. He had an unpleasant aura surrounding him as he dipped down to touch his toes. Pulling his arm behind his back, he began to mutter under his breath about Kuroo’s smug smile and overall bad attitude. He wiggled his entire body to loosen his muscles for a solid minute before addressing the study group.

    “I'm going for a jog! Who wants to come with me?”

    “I'll go,” Ushijima said, packing his materials away. 

    “Suga?”

    “Sorry, Oikawa-san, but I have class.” Suga gave him an apologetic smile.

    “And I'm way too tired,” Kuroo piped in, yawning for added effect. 

    “Well no one asked _you_ , Kuroo-chan!”

    “You're so rude!”

    “Don't worry, Oikawa-san, Ushijima-san will keep you company,” Suga spoke up, interrupting the brewing disagreement.

    “Whatever, let's just go, Ushiwaka.”

    “You guys are swinging by the dorms, right? Can you take my stuff back?”

    “Of course, Kuroo-san.”

    “Take your own damn stuff, you lazy ass!” Oikawa snapped, still vexed from their skirmish.

    Kuroo and Suga exchanged glances as the brunet grabbed Ushijima’s arm close to his chest, pulling him away from the table. He maintained his grip on the ace’s arm, cradling the limb to his body until they were halfway back to the dorms. Realising what he was doing, Oikawa released Ushijima and uttered an apology. His cheeks burned as he averted his gaze from the taller male. They walked in silence, his embarrassment festering until it reached its peak and overcame him. Oikawa darted down the nearest hallway, eager to ditch his companion. Ushijima stared after him in confusion, tilting his head as the chocolate-haired male faced him with a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

    “It's a shortcut! Meet at my room!”

    It wasn't a shortcut. Oikawa didn't even know this hallway existed. It was dingy and creepy with the kind of atmosphere you would see in a horror movie. The lights began to flicker. He thought he could hear moaning coming from every direction. There seemed to be no end in sight and he could no longer see where he had entered this hallway of doom. None of the classroom doors would open. They didn't have names or numbers or any papers on them at all. Everything was identical and blank. No longer could he hear the sounds of daily life and exuberant students; all he could hear was the deafening silence.

    That was, at least, until a set of footsteps began to follow him. They matched his pace, quickening whenever he sped up. Oikawa didn't dare look back for fear of what might be lurking in the shadows. He broke into a run, but so did his pursuer. A cold sweat covered his body as he raced forward. 

    At last he could see the light - the end of the hallway was near. He just had to beat the footsteps that were hot on his tail. Oikawa shuddered. He could feel a presence right behind him. It was reaching for him, he just knew it. The exit shone before him like a beacon of hope. Brushing aside how weird he would look, he ducked down and performed a combat roll to cross the last few metres before jumping to his feet. With an enthusiastic grunt, he kicked open the door and somersaulted through it.

    He had made it. Landing on his feet, he swiveled around to leer back at the hell dimension he had somehow entered. The lights were dim but he could see a figure approaching the door. Throwing his arms up in a defensive pose, he awaited his stalker. Oikawa shrieked upon seeing the evil fiend as it strolled up to him.

    “Bakatoshi!”

    “Oikawa-san, you look pale,” Ushijima murmured as he placed the back of his hand against the setter’s forehead. “A bit warm, too.”

    “What the hell are you doing here? You scared the shit out of me!”

    “You said it was a shortcut. Our dorms are pretty close to each other’s. It made sense to follow. Are you feeling well? You were acting weird back there.”

    “I'm fine! Stop that!”

    “Are you sure?”

    “Yes!”

    “Would you like me to carry your bags for you?”

    “No!” Oikawa paused to consider the offer, eyes shifting from side to side. This hall was quiet and had only a few people scattered here and there, most of them too engrossed within their schoolwork to notice the pair. His little acrobatic stunt had caused him to pull a muscle in his back. It would be beneficial to accept Ushijima’s offer, even if he despised the idea of the ace assisting him. With pursed lips, he continued, “Fine, go ahead.”

    “I was worried you might have hurt yourself.”

    “Have more faith in me, Ushiwaka!”

    Dumping his bags onto Ushijima, Oikawa gave him a pat on shoulder. While he didn't like Ushijima, Oikawa couldn't deny that he was a decent guy. Not wanting another awkward encounter, Oikawa walked ahead of his companion the entire journey to their dorm rooms. His ‘shortcut’ had added an additional thirty minutes to the trip and required a call to Student Services to help them find their bearings. Oikawa was grateful for Ushijima’s silence on the matter.

    They reached Ushijima’s dorm first. To their surprise, Kuroo wasn't in the room. Oikawa took his bags back and headed to his own room. Suga wasn't there so putting two and two together, he deduced that they were still in the library. Oikawa sighed in relief; he didn't want to deal with Kuroo’s sass or Suga’s jubilance. Tossing his book bag and his sports bag onto the floor, he flopped onto the bed. 

    “Stupid Wakatoshi,” he groaned out loud as he massaged the small of his back.

    Several minutes passed as he wrestled with his inner thoughts. He didn't want to go jogging any longer but he also didn't want to admit he had hurt himself. Resisting the urge to crawl under the covers and fall asleep, Oikawa pushed himself off the bed. He had wasted enough time already. So much time, in fact, that he decided to get changed in his room rather than the bathrooms. He was willing to risk Suga walking in on him if it meant regaining a few of the minutes he had lost in that cursed hallway.

    Shedding the clothes he had worn for the majority of the day and tossing them in his hamper, he grabbed his athletic wear (which consisted of a black tank top and blue shorts) and laid them out on the bed. He was standing in just his boxers when the door swung open and a deep voice called out for him. The voice was much too low to belong to Suga. Oikawa had a pretty decent idea who it was. It was _always_ him. 

    Spinning around on his heels, Oikawa turned to the intruder as they spoke, “Oikawa-san, are you-”

    Oikawa’s face paled as he stared at Ushijima and his fear was confirmed. With a shrill shriek, he threw his pillow at the ace, “Bakatoshi, you pervert! Get out!”

    A light blush crossed Ushijima’s face as he bowed in apology, scuttling out the door as quick as he came. Oikawa’s nerves were fried; Ushijima always had him on edge and it was stressing the setter out. The sane half of Oikawa wanted to cancel their jog whereas the stubborn half told him to just suck it up. He felt conflicted as he yanked his sportswear on. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, he tried to clear his mind.

    Oikawa exited the room and waved at Ushijima, encouraging him to follow before he bounced down the hall. It wasn't until he reached the scenic trail that encircled the campus that he checked to make sure Ushijima had followed. He was several feet behind Oikawa, keeping his distance unlike he had most of the day. Oikawa rolled his eyes. Brushing aside his prior discomfort, he walked over to Ushijima. He slapped Ushijima across the back and chuckled at how the ace’s eyes widened.

    “What's the point of jogging together if you're that far behind?”

    “I thought you might feel uncomfortable if I was too close.”

    “I know I told you to meet back at my room, but I forgot and wasn't expecting anyone to walk in.” Oikawa bit his bottom lip, struggling to spit the words out. He rubbed the back of his neck as he gazed at Ushijima. Oikawa knew he had overreacted, at least a tad, but he didn't know how to express it and help alleviate Ushijima’s discomfort. “Listen, I didn't mean- uh, I shouldn't have called you a pervert. That was… uncalled for. We’ll be seeing plenty of each other in the locker rooms, after all. It’s no big deal.”

    “I should have knocked.”

    “Yeah, you should have, but the past is the past. As I said, it's no big deal. Let's just move on.”

    “Thank you, Oikawa-san.”

    “Yeah, yeah. It's no big-” Oikawa’s phone began to beep, indicating an incoming call. His eyes widened and a genuine smile spread across his face. “It's Iwa-chan, hold on.”

    “Iwaizumi-san? Tell him I said hello.”

    “Iwa-chan! How are you?” Oikawa exclaimed, closing his eyes as he listened to his friend. When he reopened them, he noticed Ushijima had moved on ahead. “Oi, where do you think you’re going?”

    With a puzzled frown, Ushijima replied, “To give you space.”

    “Don't just leave me alone out here!” Oikawa growled as he closed the gap between them once more. “I'm sorry, Iwa-chan. No, no, I'm not busy! Tell me what's new with you!” The two began to walk along the trail and after a considerable pause, Oikawa spoke up again, “That's great to hear! I'm so happy for you! Oh no, you don't want to hear about my shitty college life. I'd rather talk about you! Yes, you have to give me details about it!”

    The skies darkened as they strolled side by side along the path. Shadows cast from the many trees and foliage engulfed them. Ushijima was silent, checking his own phone from time to time to make sure it wasn't getting too late. Oikawa nodded and hummed, and on occasion he would gasp while placing his hand over his mouth. Minutes trickled by and soon a whole hour had passed.

    Ushijima felt a tugging on his sleeve and when he turned to observe Oikawa, he smiled. Oikawa was grinning from ear to ear and it was contagious. Ushijima stopped walking and Oikawa gave him an appreciative nod before focusing on his call. They had walked a full circle around the trail and were pretty close to where they had started when Iwaizumi had called.

    “I can’t wait! It'll be so much fun! Bye bye, Iwa-chan, let's talk again soon!”

    Waiting until after he ended the call, Ushijima spoke, “You didn't tell him I said hello.”

    “Why would I? He wouldn't want to hear from you anyway. Come on, let's head back to the dorms.”

    They engaged in small talk on the way back, much to Ushijima’s surprise. Oikawa even cracked a joke about the lack of jogging during their trip, as that was the whole purpose of them hanging out together. Ushijima reminded him about the weird hallway - that earned him a scowl and prompted a pact to never mention the event or hallway again. 

    They soon arrived back within the dormitories. It was getting late and the halls were empty. Ushijima insisted on walking Oikawa to his room but provided no reason other than it was dark out. Oikawa rolled his eyes but didn't protest. He could handle himself and the lateness of the hour had no effect on that, but Ushijima was a pain in the ass to argue with and Oikawa was already exhausted.

    When they arrived at his dorm, he noticed the taller male fidgeting. Ushijima looked concerned and, since his curiosity was piqued, Oikawa decided to question his restlessness.

    “What's your problem?”

    “It's not a problem, just an observation. You seem much happier when you speak to Iwaizumi-san. Do you miss him?”

    Oikawa snorted and slapped the ace’s arm, “Do you not miss your old team?”

    “I guess that was a silly question.”

    “Yeah, you guessed right. You're so dense sometimes, Wakatoshi.”

    “Well, have a good night, Oikawa-san.”

    “Yeah, yeah, you too.”

    Oikawa watched him disappear down the hall. He wasn't annoyed with Ushijima, which he found odd. He blamed his jovial mood on Iwaizumi; he could always cheer Oikawa up. Oikawa was also surprised by his lack of displeasure at Ushijima for reading his expressions and personality shift with ease. Not to mention, Ushijima wasn't wrong in his observation; Oikawa did miss Iwaizumi. There was a slight churning in Oikawa’s stomach whenever he thought about how they each were moving on with their lives. Iwaizumi was, at least. He had found a new set of friends and had started dating. He was making the most of his college life and Oikawa was proud of him, if not a little envious. 

    Discarding the thoughts, he put on his best smile and unlocked the door. He could hear muffled voices inside but thought nothing of it. It was a shared room, after all. The door creaked as it opened and Oikawa stepped inside, still oblivious to the dalliance occurring within. Nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to witness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7.29.17


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Them boys engage in questionable bedroom activities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter picks up right where the last one left off… ya know, the one from several months/almost a year ago, whoops.

    “Harder, Kuroo-san!”

    “Do you like that, Koushi? You're such a bad boy, aren't you? Begging for me like this… how pathetic.”

    Upon hearing the exchange, Oikawa stopped dead in his tracks. He recognised the voices of his two group partners straightaway, but they were meant to be studying, not engaging in… whatever the hell they were doing. The small moans and light panting that filtered out into the hall made his stomach churn. It wasn’t any of his business what the two got up to in private as long as it _remained_ there, not in his damn dorm room. His mind raced with a million thoughts at once, teetering on the edge of a very inappropriate gutter (but how could it not? There was no mistaking the sound of flesh hitting flesh and it could only mean so many things), as he listened to their whispered words. He hesitated at the threshold. He didn’t want to enter and witness their transgression but he had to give them a piece of his mind - there was no way he would let their blatant audacity slide. 

    Summoning his fiercest bitch face, he slammed the door open and flipped the light switch. His eyebrow twitched when he took in the state of the room. Sugawara’s side of the dorm was a disgrace. The once spotless floor was covered in loose sheets of paper and his bedding was beginning to slide off. Oikawa was grateful to see his side remained untouched, though his brief respite disappeared just as quick as it came once his eyes landed on the two people responsible for his rising stress levels. 

    With the comforter thrown over his shoulders, Kuroo hovered behind Suga, one hand on the smaller male’s waist with his other pulled back and ready to smack the soft underside of Suga’s ass. He tossed his head backward and flashed Oikawa his usual grin, his eyes shining with unspoken mischievous. While Oikawa couldn’t see the setter beneath Kuroo’s larger frame, there was no mistaking his lewd whimpers and pleas, begging for him to continue, begging for more. Not bothering to hide or cover up their act of indecency, the blocker brought his hand down against Suga’s skin, not once breaking eye contact with Oikawa. The slap echoed throughout the small space, and still their eyes remained locked. Oikawa’s face contorted into a grimace; he could almost feel the sting. 

    It was Kuroo’s lazy grin and airy chuckle that pulled him from his daze. Oikawa’s chocolate locks bounced around his reddening ears once he managed to tear his eyes away, focusing on finding the light switch once more and plunging the room into the safety of darkness. Embarrassment nipped at his nerves, his cheeks flushing and his fingers trembling. It had been a long time since he had wasted his time thinking about carnal desires but now he couldn’t think of anything else. Dating had always been a bit of a bore and a pain in the arse but it did have its benefits, yet clearly one could get those same perks without all the hassle. He could be casual about it, discreet, it wouldn’t affect his schooling if he went about it the right way.

    He clenched his fists and shook his head, his irritation returning tenfold, all traces of his fleeting moment of weakness replaced with a glower as he spat, “What the hell are you two doing?!”

    “Oikawa-san! Back already?”

    “Obviously!”

    “Don't just stand there, come in. Might as well get comfortable.”

    “ _What?_ As if! Not until you get out, deviant!”

    “Hey now, I'm a guest here. You should be nice.”

    “You’re an _unwelcome_ guest! Take a hint already!”

    “You wound me!”

    “Oikawa-san, I’m sorry, we lost track of time. I didn’t want you to see this.”

    “Well I should hope not!”

    “Calm down, princess.”

    “Would you remove yourself from my life permanently?”

    “Aww, I love you too, baby.”

    “Cut it out, Kuroo-san, you’re making it worse,” the words were whispered but Oikawa managed to catch them before they were consumed by the darkness. “Just wait outside for a few minutes, we’ll clean up.”

    “Or you can join in. I don’t mind. We’ll probably be awhile,” Kuroo’s chortle was cut short, transforming into a pained gasp as Suga elbowed him in the stomach. “What? We might as well finish up. He already found out.”

    “Seriously?! You two have no shame!”

    It was a miracle the frame didn’t splinter with how hard Oikawa slammed the door shut. Taking a few deep breaths, he basked in the serenity of the silent hallway. It was late enough that the lights were dimmed, adding to the ambience. Deciding to forget all about the events of this cursed day and get some much needed rest, he scurried down the hall toward the one place he knew would have an empty bed: the shared dorm of Kuroo and Ushijima. He never thought the day would come where he would find himself seeking out that damn mountain of awkwardness for refuge. The things he had been reduced to… He _despised_ college.

    Fervent footsteps. Vehement knocking. Desperate heartbeat. The sound of his knuckles against the door could only be described as pathetic. He never once paused, instead increasing the speed and force of every hit with each repetition, rapping against the wood with reckless abandon. He refused to stop until he gained access, regardless of whether or not Ushijima was asleep yet. His mind was a jumble and he could feel a migraine coming on and the fact that he had morning classes tomorrow made matters at least 110% worse. He didn’t have the time nor the patience to be considerate. Besides, it was just Bakatoshi. It didn’t really matter if he was inconvenienced.

    The message was received loud and clear, the door creaking open after a mere thirty seconds of incessant knocking. Faint light spilled into the hallway from a small lamp somewhere on Ushijima’s side of the room, illuminating the silhouette lurking on the other side of the door. The familiar sight of short, olive-brown hair peered at Oikawa, one of his large hands reaching out of the shadows to rub at his tired eyes. His voice was a mixture of confusion and weariness as he spoke.

    “What’s wrong, Oikawa-san?”

    “Just let me in.”

    “Wait, I need to-”

    Oikawa slipped passed the bewildered ace, forcing his way inside. His eyes darted to and fro, absorbing the details and minute changes that had occurred since his last visit. Kuroo’s bed wasn’t quite made but still presentable; it lacked a single piece of trash or note paper on the crumpled, bumpy duvet and, by some miracle, none of his laundry was in sight. It was nowhere near as immaculate as his own room, or even Ushijima’s side of the room, but it was a huge improvement and Oikawa couldn’t help but feel a (miniscule) surge of pride. Perhaps there was still hope for that idiot, after all. 

    Turning back to the doorway with every intention to inform Ushijima of the scandalous activities occurring inside the sanctity of his room, Oikawa’s words caught in his throat when he took in his appearance. Ushijima donned just a simple pair of snug, black boxers which hugged him in all the right places. His body, though relaxed from his brief slumber, was firm. Every single muscle. His entire body looked sculpted. From his toned calves to his thick thighs, to his defined abs and broad shoulders, and even to his damn biceps, the man was built like a God pulled straight from a myth. 

    _What the hell was he thinking?_ His mind was the ultimate traitor, offering a detailed image of how round Ushijima’s arse would look right now in those tight boxers. He tried to think of anything else, but his thoughts kept returning to it until a voice in the back of his head stated the obvious, that he could just walk over and settle this train of thought with a single glance, with a full-body onceover where his eyes devoured Ushijima’s figure like the five course meal that he was. _Why stop there? Might as well enjoy yourself and cop a feel, too._

    Cold palms chilled his heated cheeks as his hands collided with his face. It was the best idea he could manage on the spot to snap him out of this ludicrous fantasy. This wasn’t like him. No, this was _their_ influence. Those two weirdos that were ruining not only his night, but aiming to take the prize and ruin his _whole_ life. These thoughts weren’t his own. He hated Bakatoshi. Even if the guy looked delectable right now, waiting to be pounced on and-

    “Seriously?” Oikawa snapped, letting his pent up frustration loose and praying for any type of distraction, “You couldn’t put some pants on?”

    “I didn’t have time-”

    “Save it for someone that cares. I’m sleeping in Kuroo’s bed tonight.”

    Ushijima’s exhaustion was evident in his simple nod. His feet were heavy and audible as he crossed the room, sliding back under the covers and closing his eyes without a sound. Oikawa was grateful that Ushijima couldn’t read his mind, and that he didn’t notice his intense gaze, or if he had, he had the decency not to comment on it. 

    On approaching his chosen bed, all prior pride and the glimmer of hope he once held for Kuroo dissipated once he pulled the duvet down. The lumps hidden from view were not misshapen sheets but rather clothing, more than likely dirty, and the sheets themselves were nowhere in sight. Not even the fitted sheet remained on the bed, the mattress exposed and cold to the touch. 

    The guttural growl that crawled from the pits of his stomach and reverberated throughout the enclosed space was enough to jolt Ushijima awake once more. He watched with wide eyes as Oikawa stormed across the room, stopping at the edge of the bed, tables turned for once as he towered over him. Oikawa tapped his foot in impatience, irritation rolling off him in waves, seconds that felt like hours passing in uncomfortable silence until Ushijima spoke up and questioned the setter’s sudden mood swing.

    “Shut up and move, I’m sleeping here tonight.” 

    With another knowing nod and small yawn, Ushijima scooted to the far side of the large bed. It was bigger than the standard and Oikawa thought it was a bit extra when he first saw it, but it looked comfy and he almost felt excited to try it for himself. Except there was an obstacle in his path that was blocking the road to bliss and sweet dreams - the current occupant who was patting the empty space he created beside his shirtless self, beckoning Oikawa like it was the most normal thing to do.

    “What are you…? no. No, no, no. You move, go. Get out, I need this bed. You sleep somewhere else, anywhere else.”

    “Why? It’s big enough for us both.”

    “Why? _Why?_ What kind of question is that? Do you think you’re smooth? I see right through you, Bakatoshi.”

    “Huh?”

    “Don’t play dumb.” Ushijima tilted his head in confusion, which only served to further irritate Oikawa. “I’m not going to sleep with you!”

    “I didn’t mean-”

    “I'm so sick of all this weird sex tonight! I just want to sleep in peace, why are you all like this? Can’t any of-”

    “Oikawa-san.”

    “-you be normal for once? What evil deed did I commit in a past life to be stuck with you-”

    “Oikawa-san.”

    “-three idiots cursing my existence for the rest of my foreseeable future? I just-”

    “ _Tooru._ ”

    Oikawa scoffed, rolling his eyes and taking a deep breath, his outburst fading, “That’s Oikawa-san to you, we’re not friends,”

    With a sigh, Ushijima rolled out of the bed and walked across the room. It was obvious that Oikawa was stressed and sleep deprived, college life taking its toll, but Ushijima wasn’t faring much better and the statement felt like a blow to the gut. His words shouldn’t have offended him, Oikawa has said worse after all, but he thought they had been making progress. He collapsed onto the messy mattress, willing the empty feeling in his stomach away with the promise to try harder tomorrow before falling into a fast but deep slumber, leaving Oikawa to find peace amongst his restless thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa needs to get laid and calm tf down.  
> 11.12.17… for the first half, whoops.  
> 4.28.18… finally.


	6. Chapter Five.5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Them boys continue to engage in questionable bedroom activities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally meant to be apart of the previous chapter, and I don’t want it to be apart of the next, so here’s chapter 5.5!

    It wasn’t the door creaking open in the wee hours of the morning nor was it the bed dipping from the added weight of someone slipping under the sheet beside him, but the pressure around his chest as two arms curled around his sides and pulled him into an embrace that woke Oikawa up. His bleary eyes stared at the plain wallpaper as he tried to come to his senses, at least enough to understand what was happening. His mind scrambled to recall the minute details of the room from before he had at last drifted off just a few hours prior to try to discover the events that had led to him being cuddled against his will.

    He had been alone. Toshi was sound asleep on the other side of the room, and there was no one else in sight nor were there any sounds or movements in the hall. Even outside noises had ceased; he couldn’t hear a single chirp or chitter. The room was dark. There were no lights on in the hallway and the curtains were drawn closed. Even though it was spring, the weather was still chilly so he had decided to snuggle up under the covers. It had provided comfort at the time, like he was shielding himself from the terrible week he was having. 

    While it was still silent, he was no longer alone, and his duvet had been kicked to the bottom of the bed and out of his reach due to the human cage he found himself trapped within (much to his irritation).

    It had to be early morning, he decided, as his short slumber had not sated his body’s need for sleep. His muscles were still screaming in exhaustion and his mind was begging for that oh so sweet release from consciousness. He could hear his own heartbeat pumping as loud as a freight train in his ear and he couldn’t help but wish there had been at least a fan running to provide some kind of background noise that he could focus on. It’s not like he had to worry about catching a cold, after all; the temperature had risen to an uncomfortable degree with the additional body heat and some kind of cooling system would have been nice right about now, anything to take his mind off the warmth encasing his body, wrapped around him like a boa constrictor. 

    The sensible, sane voice in the back of his head was concerned for his safety - who was this stranger that was now cuddling into the curves of his body like a snug puzzle piece? - and yet he couldn’t bring himself to fret over the intruder. Not only was he too damned tired to care, but something about the man felt familiar. 

    Did Toshi go to the bathroom then hop into the wrong bed by accident? Perhaps his body moved on its own, like muscle memory.It was his bed so he couldn’t blame him if he had gotten confused, and Oikawa knew that Ushijima wouldn’t do something so brazen on purpose. If he could wake him up, he’d realise his mistake and go back to the other bed. Oikawa didn’t have the energy to waste on this shit, but it was the only chance he had left at getting any sleep before the sun rose since ignoring the nuisance clinging to him wasn’t an option.

    Oikawa gave the body beside him a small nudge twice, his elbow jutting into their solid stomach in quick succession, which in turn earned him another squeeze. He tried to repeat the action, but the hold on his body tightened to the degree that breathing became uncomfortable. Long arms with slender fingers interlocked around his waist. Long. Slender. _Lean_.

    The scent of men’s soap lingered in the air from the small movements of his unwelcome companion. Clean. Fresh. _Generic._ Did Toshi use products that boring and mundane? Wasn’t he using the soap from that farewell gift set his team gave him, the one he talked fondly of because it was a small, daily reminder of home? And why did he get up in the middle of the night to have a shower? It could’ve waited until morning, nothing could’ve happened in those few hours that would’ve necessitated a shower so soon after his last. 

    Oikawa frowned.

    Something was _off_.

    As he shuffled his back against the firm chest of his undesired guest, it dawned on him that Ushijima had a larger frame than whoever this was. Even if Ushijima had taken a shower for whatever reason, he wasn’t the type to hop back into bed while his skin was still damp and his hair still dripping wet, spreading water all over the damn place, just to annoy the hell out of Oikawa for no good reason. One thing he could say about that oaf was that he was respectful, unlike the punk beside him now. 

    Oikawa could feel warm air hitting his neck with every exhale, each breath tickling him in the most infuriating way. They had no care in the world, oblivious to the pain and discomfort they were causing Oikawa. Unless… unless they knew _exactly_ what they were doing and they _wanted_ to torture him.

    But who had the audacity to just jump into bed with him? Who the hell would think it’s okay to just touch him however they please? Who in the hell would go out of their way to torment him, disregarding the karmic balance of the world to add even more undeserved negativity to his life? Who in the goddamn hell would act this _obnoxious?_

    Whoever this was was beyond any and all possible redemption, which narrowed it down to just one possible offender.

    _Kuroo Tetsurou._

    “Kuroo-chan,” Oikawa whispered, his voice even but lacking his usual cheery tone, “if you don’t remove yourself from my presence, I’ll remove you from this existence.”

    “Shh, just sleep.”

    “Kuroo, I’m serious. I’m not awake enough to pretend to like you right now.”

    “Me either, so shut up and sleep, sweetum.”

    Sweetum? _Sweetum?!_

    “Kuroo, you piece of shit, I swear on everything you love, I’ll-”

    “Are you disappointed that I’m not Ushijima? Is that why it took you so long to say anything? A little too much wishful thinking on your part?” There was that goading chuckle Oikawa had become all too familiar with. “How about you just close your eyes and pretend I’m him?”

    “What the hell does that mean?!”

    “It’s obvious you want some hot, angry sex with him.”

    “How crass! And wrong!”

    “You want to bone him.”

    “You’re gonna make me sick!”

    “‘Oh, _Baka_ toshi, don’t stop, it feels so good when you touch me. Keep hitting that spot right there. Oh, yes, daddy! Please, I want you so bad, I can’t take it anymore! My di-’”

    “You’re disgusting! Why are you even here? This isn’t even your bed!” 

    “This one is bigger? I know you’re focusing your blood flow elsewhere, but why not try using your brain for once?”

    And with that, the final straw snapped. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I’m doing it again. I have more to write but this feels like a good place to stop. Asdfghjkl.
> 
> 7.1.18


	7. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Them boys got beef.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m aiming for a more frequent and regular posting schedule. The goal is to post a new update the first Friday on every month.  
> Also I changed my name, just a heads up.

    “What the hell happened?” Suga gasped as soon as the door opened, his concern increasing his impatience.

    Ushijima yawned and rubbed his temples, providing a small shrug as his only response before ushering the small setter inside. Sprawled across the bed on the left side, Oikawa pretended not to notice the others as he glared at the wall with his back toward Kuroo. Kuroo was sound asleep on the other side of the room, his mouth hanging open with a content smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. 

    “Oikawa-san, what happened?” Suga frowned, taking a step toward Oikawa before halting. The brunet didn’t acknowledge him in the slightest. 

    Taking a deep breath to calm himself, irritation seeping into his blood from being ignored (and so obviously - the audacity!), Suga walked over to Kuroo. With the back of his hand placed on the blocker’s forehead, Suga checked his temperature. It was no hotter than usual. Shaking his shoulder, he tried to wake Kuroo but to no avail.

    “Kuroo-san, please, I’m worried.” 

    After what felt like an eternity, he gave up and faced Ushijima instead. The ace had slumped down on a chair in the left corner of the room, his tired, blank eyes staring out the window. He didn’t seem to notice Suga waving at him. Dark rings encircled the eyes he was fighting to keep open. He was battling off his need for sleep tooth and nail, and every so often his head would bob as he regained consciousness just as quickly as he lost it.

    “Wakatoshi-san, what happened?” No response. “Are they okay?” A nod. “Can you explain what happened?” No response. “Literally anyone can say anything… Why are you all ignoring me?”

    More silence plagued Suga. No one would look him in the eye. His anxiety started to ebb away as his irritation morphed into anger. It was his concern that led him here and not a single one of them cared. His impatience swelled until he couldn’t hold back any longer. Grabbing a water bottle from the nightstand, he poured the contents onto an unsuspecting Kuroo before throwing the empty bottle at Oikawa. 

    “I ASKED YOU A DAMN QUESTION!”

    Eyes snapping open, alarm written plain as day across his features, Kuroo was the first to react. Sitting up straight, he stared at Suga as one would a ghost; complete disbelief with a side of utter terror swirled in his eyes. His usual messy, black hair flopped down and stuck to his face. His bottom lip quivered. Wiping off some of the water with the bed’s linen, he was in state of total shock and couldn’t process what was happening. 

    On the other side of the room, Oikawa yelped in indignation. The bottle had hit its target square on, bouncing off the back of Oikawa’s head before falling to the ground. His waves swayed in a quick blur of colour as he swivelled around, eyes narrowed and accusatory. Jabbing a finger toward Suga, his voice rose with every passing word.

    “What the hell was that for?!” 

    “Take a guess, you idiot!” 

    Tension engulfed the room as the two setters glared at one another, neither willing to yield. Ushijima raised his hand, words of protest on his lips, but decided the energy required to calm either party down was too great and chose to close his eyes and rest instead. Oikawa folded his arms in front of his chest, his eyes trained on Suga’s, but didn’t say anything. The room was silent and still, frozen in time, as everyone waited for the first strike. Taking a step forward, ice-cold fury dripping from his every movement, Suga opened his mouth to speak, every filter torn off with only brutal honesty left behind, he was going to let loose and give them a piece of his mind-

    “I’m soaked!” Kuroo whined, snapping out of his stupor but remaining indifferent to the argument happening mere feets away. He stumbled out of the sterile white bed, knocking over the metal table that stood beside it. It clattered onto the cement floor, two distinct, cold and unforgiving materials clashing against each other. The sound reverberated throughout the entire room, slipping past the ajar door and drifting out the window. A roll of bandages unraveled, rolling across the floor until it hit Suga’s foot.

    It served as a big enough distraction to gain the attention of the setters, both now focusing their scornful gazes on Kuroo. After a quick stretch, Kuroo flashed his usual lopsided grin before collapsing back onto the bed. Oikawa rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in the air, grumbling something along the lines of ‘predictable’. 

    Before they had a chance to resume their stare down, the door flung open. A small but stern woman entered, her voice shrill as she turned to each of the boys in turn, punctuating her words with a pointed glare. 

    “This is the infirmary, keep your voice down!” 

    Suga bowed to the nurse and, unlike his comrade’s mumbled ‘sorries’, his tone was sincere when he said, “We apologise, ma’am.” 

    Once the nurse left (after a lengthy lecture about respecting other’s privacy and rest, and instructing them to clean up their mess before they were discharged), all smiles were dropped. Ice gripped the room once more as Suga spoke, his lips pulled into a thin line, tapping his left foot at a rapid pace. “Whatever. Rest for now, but I’ll be back and you best be ready to talk.” 

    “Wow, so scary, Mr. Refreshing!” Oikawa pulled a pillow to his chest and pouted, avoiding direct eye contact with the seething setter and his almost tangible aura of rage.

    With that, the door slammed behind Suga as he stormed out of the room, abandoning the helpless situation inside in hope of regaining his sanity. Regardless of how the other’s felt, he considered each to be his friend. When he received the text from Ushijima that a fight had broken out during the night, he wasted no time rushing to check on them. _And for what?_ Suga sighed. 

    Making his way to the scene of the crime, he entered the shared dorm of Kuroo and Ushijima. Bed sheets, torn pillows, textbooks and pieces of wood littered the ground. The nightstand that once stood beside Ushijima’s bed was destroyed, presumably after someone fell on it. The shelves on Kuroo’s side of the room had collapsed and while the majority of his chemistry books were on the bed, some had made their way onto the floor and their pages were now crumpled. Suga sighed again.

    It wasn’t his room so he had no reason to clean up after those ungrateful buffoons, but he knew that Ushijima would do the same for him and he’d hate to see that giant try to balance tidying up, repair work, and smoothing over the argument that had led to all this in the first place. An argument Suga didn’t have a scrap of knowledge about. _Because no one had the decency to say anything. Not even Ushijima._ His knuckles paled under the force of his grip as he picked up the remnants of the nightstand. Sighing with a bit more force, Suga continued his self-appointed project.

    He piled the textbooks onto the bed. He set aside the nightstand and shelves, deciding he didn’t like Kuroo or Ushijima enough to trouble himself with trying to fix their furniture (he wasn’t a handyman, afterall). He stripped both beds down to the mattress and tossed the bedding into the corner before grabbing the spares and refitting the sheets. Grabbing the sewing kit from Ushijima’s emergency supplies, he stuffed as much of the loose feathers and downy he could back into the pillows before sewing them shut and replacing their covers with fresh, clean ones. Once the room was in a somewhat presentable state, he took the bedding to the school’s laundry room and started a load, sending a text to Ushijima with the machine’s number and the approximate time it would finish. Brushing his hands together while trying to shake off his exhaustion, Suga sighed.

    Even though his body was tired from the hard work, his mind was still racing. With his project completed and his mind free of distractions once more, the residual anger from his earlier outburst began to gain traction, growing as he wandered through the campus grounds. _How hard would it have been to just say, ‘hey, don’t worry Koushi, we’re fine. We’re just dumb as all hell’?_ He ran through multiple scenarios in his head, all of which would have been more considerate of his legitimate concerns for their safety and wellbeing, as he stalked down a lush, green hill. When he snapped out of his daze, he was standing on a small, rugged path next to a pond that he didn’t recognise.

    _Where the hell am I?_

    Suga sighed in resignation.

    There was only one person who could bring him clarity at this point, only one person that could offer him sensibility. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his phone and searched through his contacts. Upon finding Daichi’s number, he shot him a brief text then sat down on the embankment. Minutes trickled by as he waited for a response. It wasn’t until he had given up and allowed his mind to go blank, troubled sleep threatening to swallow him whole, that his phone rang. Sitting up straight and confirming the caller to be Daichi, he answered with a cute greeting, shuddering at how strained he sounded.

    “Sorry, I was studying and didn’t see your message.”

    “Ah, Sawamura. You didn’t have to call. If you’re busy, just text me when you have time.”

    “No, no! You’re the same as always, Koushi. It’s been too long since we’ve talked. Besides, I could really use a break right now.” Suga smiled. Warmth enveloped him as he listened to his long-time friend, fond memories embedded within his voice that pulled Suga back to the summer days spent playing volleyball in the school’s gym, the door open and a cool breeze caressing his heated skin while he set another toss for Asahi as Daichi cheered them on. “How has school been treating you?”

    Daichi reminded him of home, secure and welcoming and permanent, something Suga didn’t realise he was missing, let alone that he needed.

    With a sigh of relief, Suga relaxed and laid back down on the lawn, watching the clouds as they crawled across the vibrant blue sky, all of his worries dissipating as he spoke, “Funny you should ask, that’s exactly why I contacted you…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suga is a powerbottom and you can’t convince me otherwise.  
> 8.3.18


	8. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Them boys eat cake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy (Late) Birthday, Ushijima.  
> I chose Grave Of The Fireflies over this, I’m sorry.  
> Dialogue heavy because it’s easier to write and I got lazy since this isn’t the scheduled update but a bonus.

    It was two o’clock in the afternoon and the cafeteria was bustling. Students congregated in small groups and the noise level continued to rise as people poured into the large, open space. Most teachers chose this time slot for their meal break so the majority of students followed suit. Since it was one of the few times everyone in the group had available most days, they often joined in on the lunch rush madness. 

    Kuroo and Oikawa were bickering over something inconsequential, as per usual. Ushijima stared between the two, taking small bites of his hayashi rice. He had planned to wait for them, since that was the polite thing to do, but it became obvious pretty early on that his food would go cold before they settled down enough to eat. 

    “I was being a bro and this is how you repay me.”

    “What does that even mean?!”

    “I did a quick tidy up in my room and freshened up the place before you arrived and gave you time and space. The ultimate bro move.”

    “You call that a tidy up?! Your side of the dorm was a pigsty! How can you say it was for me? If you weren’t being a pervert, I wouldn’t have had to go to your bed in the first place!”

    “Well, I’m a little too busy to make the bed everyday, you know.”

    Ushijima nodded at the approaching figure, clearing off the garbage from the table and brushing off the empty seat beside him. Oikawa and Kuroo continued their conversation, their tones rising to match the volume of the rest of the student body. Ushijima held back a sigh. Weariness doubled the effort and drained the limited energy he had. He took another bite of his rice.

    “What, too busy screwing Suga?”

    “Ah, but Oikawa-san, you misunderstood the situation.” Kuroo, who was just about to respond as well, slammed his mouth shut and turned to face their approaching friend. Suga’s warm smile was contagious and soon the entire group perked up. Ushijima pat the seat next to him, a silent plea to the setter to sit between him and the others. “We weren’t having sex.”

    “Yeah,” Kuroo piped in. “You could have come in.”

    “As if!”

    “It was just some light BDSM. What’s a few spanks between friends?”

    Suga laughed, though his smile no longer reached his eyes. “Kuroo is just a really good friend. He’s straight, after all.”

    “Exactly. See, he gets it. It was just some fun between friends.” Slapping his knee, Kuroo cooed at Suga and called out to him as one would a pet, drawing out his words and blowing small kisses at the end of his sentences, “Now come here, sweetie pie. We missed you.”

    With his wide smile and twinkling, sweet eyes, Suga slapped Kuroo upside the head before sitting next to Ushijima. 

    “Ouch! You’re gonna leave me by myself? Sugar buns? My lollipop? Baby cakes?” 

    “You’re not by yourself, Kuroo-san. Oikawa-san is right next to you.”

    Kuroo chuckled, swivelling around to face his usual target, mischief brewing in his eyes. Following Oikawa’s groan and pointed glare at Suga (who threw up a peace sign in response and started eating), the two delved back into their usual bullshit. 

    “Cheer up, plum pudding. I’ll let you sit on my lap if you’d like.”

    “Stop calling people weird names!”

    “Honey bear, do you need a hug?”

    “Get lost, Kuroo-chan!” The two began to wrestle, Oikawa throwing off Kuroo’s arm while Kuroo inched closer and closer to the setter. It wasn’t until Suga was taking a sip of his drink and the table slammed against him, spilling the drink onto his shirt, that the two stopped. The fearsome aura Suga exuded was enough to stop even the heartiest person dead in their tracks. With a smug laugh, Oikawa continued, “No one wants you around, not even Mr. Refreshing, _sweetum_.”

    “I can’t believe you’re angry at me just because you wasted your chance to fuck Ushijima.”

    There was absolute silence at the table for seven seconds, just enough time for the words to be processed. Once everyone was back on the same page and Kuroo’s implication was explicitly understood, the floodgates of Hell were about to shatter.

    Ushijima choked on some grains of rice, coughing and spluttering as he reached for his water bottle, a tinge of red on his cheeks that matched his watering eyes. Suga, who had been in the middle of pointless small talk with the ace, let his jaw hit the ground while snapping around to face the others, shock written plain as day across his features. 

    “Not again,” Ushijima managed to gasp out between gulps. 

    “Again…?” 

    “Are you telling me _again_ that I need to _bone_ Bakatoshi?” The air chilled around the group as a murderous atmosphere surrounded Oikawa, his eyes darkening and all traces of his cheerful facade erased. 

    “Again?!” Suga squeaked, looking between each of the boys while slapping Ushijima’s back. 

    “Yeah, because you need a good dicking, you little bit-”

    “Kuroo-chan,” - a shiver ran down Suga’s spine at the whispered words, the air around them further darkening - “I’ll fucking kill you.”

    Ushijima knew he wouldn’t get around the table fast enough to stop them before they embarrassed themselves in front of a large majority of the school. He also knew that his energy was too low to keep them both in check right now, especially after the effort it took just last night when he felt somewhat less crappy than he did right now. What he fully understood, though, was that he had to do his best to stop them anyway. That’s what friends do, after all. 

    And it was in this moment that Ushijima knew there was a heaven as four angels descended upon the group, their bright eyes dancing in anticipation as they bounced and skipped and beamed at the boys. Soft, gentle smiles greeted them and their voices were melodic and calm. Giggles erupted between them as shy glances were exchanged. 

    “We’re sorry to disturb you!” One of the girls started, twirling her black hair between her fingers, oblivious to the scene that had been playing out only seconds prior. 

    “We saw you from across the way and, well…” the brunette on the right chimed in, trailing off when she made eye contact with Oikawa who was already back in character, his face brightening as he watched them each in turn.

    “I made extra treats today and thought…” the second brunette added but also fell victim to his heartstopping smile and gorgeous chocolate eyes. 

    “Oikawa-san, you like milk bread, right?” It was the black-haired girl again. She was more confident in herself, voice nor gaze wavering as she spoke. “Ushijima-san, Kuroo-san, there’s plenty for you as well. Cookies and cupcakes, too, if milk bread isn’t your thing.”

    “And some for you too, cutie,” the tallest girl in the group, the leader if her strong tone and protective stance in front of the others was anything to go by, winked at Suga as she placed the bag of goodies on the table. She had short, wavy blue hair with dark roots peeking out at the top, a few black strands braided from her fringe and pinned to the back. She was spunky and cute, the type of woman that would never put up with Oikawa’s bullshit, and was obviously doing this for her friends. 

    “Thank you so much! You’re all so sweet and beautiful!” Oikawa grinned, jumping from his seat to stand next to them. He towered over the girls, even the leader, which in turn caused the two shy brunettes to back away and hide further behind their friends. Honing in on this, Oikawa smiled at them and asked their names, opening the gate for mindless chatter and casual flirtations.

    Kuroo pretended to gag as he listened to Oikawa and his honeyed, fake words before joining the new group, wrapping an arm around Oikawa’s shoulder and nodding along with him. There were a few others around the room (mainly women) that allowed their curious eyes to land and linger on the group, gaping at how smooth the two men came across. Charisma oozed off their tongues, lulling their admirers further into a trance. 

    “So… again, huh?” Suga murmured, his volume low enough to avoid being overheard.

    “Yes. That’s part of the reason they started fighting last night. Kuroo is having too much fun riling Oikawa up and Oikawa is stressed over something. He’s letting his guard down and letting it get to him. The idea that he wants to sleep with me is absurd, but Oikawa isn’t himself lately and is allowing the idea to fester and irritate him.”

    “Or maybe he wants hot, angry, hate sex.”

    Once again caught in a coughing fit, Ushijima smacked his fist against his chest, a blush reddening his ears. Suga laughed, the sound loud and joyous, gaining a curious look from the girls. He waved them off and as soon as their attention was focused elsewhere, Suga nudged and prodded the ace, raising his eyebrows in a rapid, suggestive notion. 

    “Not you, too, Sugawara-san. That’s exactly what Kuroo said…” Ushijima sighed and let his head fall against the table. 

    “You sure are taking it in stride.”

    "It’s all speculation created for the sole purpose of upsetting Oikawa. It’s baseless.”

    “Hmm, true. I guess the real question is, would you do it if it were true?” Ushijima didn’t respond. He didn’t want to provide any more ammunition but that didn’t stop Suga from taking it how he wanted. “You’re a super trooper, Ushijima-san! A real man! No wonder he wants to sleep with you!”

    “Who wants to sleep with that idiot?” Oikawa hissed as he slithered into his seat, his eyes sharp like knives as he glowered at Suga. 

    “You,” Suga sneered, pointing his finger at the brunet. 

    “I know where you sleep, Suga-chan!” Oikawa laughed, taking a bite of the milk bread left behind by the girls who had since disappeared. 

    Slapping Oikawa’s back, Kuroo fell into the seat beside him. He slung his arm around his shoulder once more and tugged the setter to his chest. “Listen, Oikawa, I think we should be each other’s wingmen. You’re hot. I’m hotter. We’re loveable, at least until they get to know you better. We’re perfect for each other.”

    “Honestly, I hate to admit it, but you’re not wrong about us making a good team. Very wrong about who’s hotter. The other stuff, though? I’ll give it to you. And yet here I am” - grabbing Kuroo’s wrist and bending it backwards, Oikawa waited until the blocker cried out in pain before flinging his arm away - “preferring to die rather than spend unnecessary time with you.”

    “Geez, when did you become so violent? Stop spending so much time with Suga!”

    “Get lost.”

    “Yeah, get lost, _sweetie_ ,” Suga snapped.

    “Fine, fine. I can tell when I’m not wanted. You’ll miss me soon enough, anyway. Bye-bye Ushijima, see you back at the dorms.” 

    With a wave, he departed, stopping to chat with a few members of the volleyball team on the way out of the cafeteria. Now that the aggravator had left, both Suga and Oikawa calmed down, placid smiles resting on their faces as they chatted. Their lunch break was coming to an end and Ushijima was considering taking a nap instead of attending their study session when he felt someone tug at his shirt. Blinking twice, he tried to refocus and clear his bleary eyes, yawning in the process. 

    “Ushijima-san, are you okay?”

    “I think…” Oikawa started, squinting as he observed the ace. “I think he got brain damage from that shelf.”

    “Don’t joke like that!” 

    “I’m okay, thank you for your concern.”

    “So boring! Why couldn’t it have rewritten his personality and made him fun!”

    “That’s what we say about you, Oikawa-san!”

    “‘We’ as in you and your lover?”

    “How many times do I have to tell you it isn’t like that!” 

    “He called you Koushi. That seems a bit intimate, especially given the circumstance. Wouldn’t you agree, Bakatoshi?”

    “Perhaps. But you call me-”

    “See? We all agree. You’ve hit rock bottom, Suga.”

    “For the last time - we’re not dating!”

    “That’s worse, Suga-chan. It truly is an act of desperation. A cry for help, even. Do you need someone to talk to? Because Ushijima is right here and he’s a great listener. It’s one of his only strong points. Just don’t expect a meaningful reply.”

    “You’re such a dick, Oikawa-san! Be more considerate of his feelings!”

    “It’s fine, Sugawara-san. I’m used to it,” Ushijima shrugged, indifference and exhaustion etched into every fiber of his being.

    “You’re trying to change the subject, aren’t you? Everything you do makes me think you’re on a downward spiral.”

    “For fuck’s sake,” Suga muttered under his breath, his hands covering his face as he tried to regulate his breathing and let the other setter’s words roll off his back.

    “Idiot 1, comfort Idiot 2 while I go find Kuroo.” Oikawa nodded to himself as he stood. He pointed a long finger at Ushijima and tutted. “Do us all a favour and just listen to him, don’t try to speak. You’re shit at it.”

    “I can’t decide who I want to kill more. Ushijima-san, let’s change schools.” Suga looked up at the ace once they were alone. When he saw Ushijima’s lip twitch and a small chuckle echo from within his chest, Suga continued, “Or at the very least, let’s ditch those two and become roommates instead.”

    “I’m worried they might do something illegal if left unsupervised.”

    “Ha! That’s a good point.”

    They finished their food in comfortable silence. Once they cleaned off the table and divided the baked goods into fourths, they left the cafeteria and walked toward their usual study spot: the library. The librarian seemed pleased at the lack of the rowdier two members of the group, offering additional, friendlier help. It was a nice change. The peace and quiet was more than welcome but the group felt lacking at the same time.

    Settling down in their preferred seats and pulling out their respective textbooks, both of the boys read and studied in silence. Ushijima didn’t need any help with the current curriculum and Suga was working several weeks ahead. It was a relaxed session, with the two chatting on occasion and sharing their cookies and drinks. After a few hours passed, Ushijima closed his books and packed up his supplies. A headache was starting to fog his already exhausted mind. 

    “Are we done?” 

    “If you don’t mind.”

    “Of course not, Ushijima-san.”

    “Sugawara-san… I apologise for earlier. I should have been quicker to respond to you and given you a proper explanation.”

    “Huh?”

    “You were obviously concerned and when Kuroo-san and Oikawa-san didn’t answer, I should have taken it upon myself to answer instead. We were all tired but that’s no excuse. I hope you can forgive us all.”

    Suga scratched his head, a nervous bead of sweat rolling down his temple while he watched Ushijima bow in apology, the whole situation becoming too formal and stuffy. “It’s fine, honestly. I hope you can forgive my outburst as well.”

    “Of course.”

    “Don’t apologise for those jerks, though. They don’t deserve you as a friend-”

    “Well, well, well. Look at you studious nerds,” Kuroo chuckled, walking behind Suga and placing his arms around his neck, resting his chin on the setter’s head.

    “You have no room to talk, Kuroo-san. You have a hard-on for Chemistry.” Kuroo scoffed, placing his hand over Suga’s heart in mock pain and pretending to cry. Knocking his hand away, Suga glanced over his shoulder as he spoke, “Where’s Oikawa?”

    “Why would I know?” Suga and Ushijima shared an exasperated glance. “I haven’t seen him since I was banished by you all.”

    “I’ve decided, Ushijima-san. I’m going to kill Oikawa.”

    Oikawa strolled into his dorm an hour later, his skin glowing and bright. His face was void of stress. No longer wearing a mask (in both a metaphorical and literal sense. The green tea soothing essence masks he bought last month do wonders), his face was relaxed and smooth. He hummed to himself as he put away his spa bag. Once settled in, he acknowledged the simmering ball of fury in the corner of the room. He never made eye contact with Suga’s two oversized bodyguards, both of whom waited behind the silver-haired setter, one with a frown and the other a smirk.

    “What’s wrong with you? Did Ushijima speak or something?”

    “How did your talk with Kuroo go? You know, the one where you were going to lecture him and belittle him like you did me. Or maybe, and I know it’s a long shot, you’d grow up a little and work out that petty bullshit between the two of you?”

    “Oh! I forgot about that!” Oikawa’s eyes widened as he tilted his head toward the blocker, the words bouncing off the tip of his tongue. “Kuroo-chan, you’re trash and Suga deserves better.” Flashing a peace sign and a large, fake smile, he looked at Suga again. “All done!”

    “I told you I’m way better than him,” Kuroo snickered, shifting on his feet. 

    “I know I deserve better, which is why I’d never date him! How many times do I need to say this?!”

    “Oi, I’m right here!”

    “Did you work out your issues, then?”

    “I have no issues!”

    “Stop lying!”

    “Like you can talk! Stop denying your feelings!”

    “I don’t have any!”

    “You can say that again,” Kuroo snorted. When everyone stopped to glare at him, he threw his hands in the air and huffed. “You know I’m right!”

    Suga left first, rolling his eyes and mumbling about needing a drink. Kuroo followed behind, waving goodbye to his dormmate and flipping Oikawa off with a sneer. When it was time for Ushijima to leave as well, his legs wouldn’t listen to him. He remained grounded in place. Oikawa tapped his foot in impatience, holding both of his forearms with his hands, resting them in front of his chest. 

    “Well, Idiot 1? What are you waiting for?”

    “I don’t know.”

    “Don’t you have somewhere else to be?”

    “Not really.”

    Oikawa waited. He waited for Ushijima to leave. He waited for him to at least move. He waited for his line of sight to shift, to break eye contact. He waited for him to speak, to explain something, to explain anything. When no answers arrived and instead new questions began to surface, Oikawa gave in. 

    “Come on then, let’s go.”

    Oikawa interlaced their fingers, holding onto Ushijima’s hand as he dragged him out of the dorm and through the school. It became clear where they were headed so it came as no surprise to Ushijima when Oikawa stopped in front of the gym. Grabbing the spare key that was hidden under a rock (an obvious spot, but how Oikawa knew to check there was beyond him), Oikawa unlocked the door and pushed Ushijima inside.

    “Alright, let’s play.”

    “Right now? Should we even be here?”

    “I’m offering to work with you, to _set_ for you and your first response is to question me? You really are an idiot. Can’t you just live in the moment and enjoy yourself?”

    “... Okay.”

    Oikawa grinned, triumph stretching across his face as he bounded across the court and wheeled out the volleyball trolley. With Ushijima’s help, they got the net up and the court ready. Without warning, Oikawa took his shirt off and tossed it to the side. Quirking his eyebrow, faking confusion as he tapped his finger along his lip, he motioned for Ushijima to do the same. 

    “What’s wrong? We’ve seen more of each other than this before. Besides, there’s somewhere I want to go after this and we need to be presentable.”

    The tables turned when Ushijima stripped down to just his boxers, leaving Oikawa flabbergasted.

    “What the hell are you doing?!”

    “You said we need to look presentable.”

    “How does that equal stripping down to your damn underwear?!”

    Ushijima shrugged. “It makes sense to me.”

    It was nothing new and yet it felt like Oikawa was seeing him properly for the first time. He looked attractive, and Oikawa hated it. He rubbed the back of his neck as Oikawa stared at him, his arm muscles flexing and bulging. Oikawa continued to look him up and down until their eyes met. He refused to be outdone or intimidated. With a light laugh, he brushed the unspoken exchange off and went to stand in the middle of the court, gesturing for the ace to follow before taking off his own pants.

    It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was odd to play in just their boxers. Oikawa found himself losing focus more often and ended up spiking the ball out of court when he saw Ushijima bend over to collect some of the stray balls. After a few more rounds of serving practice and setting some spikes for the ace, Oikawa called it quits. Even though the majority of fault fell on him, Oikawa blamed Ushijima for the practice failing. 

    “I thought volleyball would be fun since it’s something we both enjoy but you’re hopeless, Bakatoshi.”

    “Maybe we should try with our clothes on?”

    “Maybe if you weren’t being a pervert and staring so much, it wouldn’t be a problem!”

    “I wasn’t-” Oikawa’s irritated tapping echoed throughout the room, his foot setting a relentless pace. It was getting late and Ushijima could just about pass out at this point. He was in no mood to argue. ”Sorry…?”

    “Whatever . There’s a bakery nearby. Let’s wash up and go.”

    If playing in their underwear was hard, trying to wash together was worse. Oikawa shut it down pretty fast, forcing Ushijima to wait until he was done even though the shower room was huge and they could have each taken opposite corners. It proved more troublesome for Oikawa, however, as his mind kept wandering to how built and muscular Wakatoshi was. There was a voice in the back of his head that wouldn’t cease, that insisted he reenter the shower and approach Ushijima. It would be easy. There was no one around. He could just walk in, help him scrub his back, wash off the extra soap, clean his hair. Would it be weird? Was why he even thinking this way about _Ushiwaka_ of all people? 

    He wanted to blame Kuroo, to say he poisoned his thoughts with all his suggestive, crude remarks, but in the silence of his mind, he knew the truth. He was starting to fall-

    “Oikawa-san, do you need help?”

    “What?!” He squealed, latching onto the nearest towel and pressing it against his body. His distraction had cost him too much time. Ushijima was dressed again, looking as handsome as ever, and staring at him with concern. Oikawa was still undressed, water dripping into his eyes from his wet hair, his clothes waiting for him by the mirror and sink. “I’m fine! Get out!”

    “Okay.”

    The walk to the bakery was silent and awkward. Oikawa refused to look Ushijima in the eyes and neither would speak. When Ushijima thought of something to say, the timing felt wrong so he looked off toward the horizon instead. The sun was setting and the air was beginning to chill. The streets were empty as they navigated toward the family-owned bakery. A few street lights flickered on here and there but the plethora of colour dripping from the sky was enough to keep the roads bright and clear. Once Oikawa announced that their destination was just a few stores ahead, Ushijima noticed that most of the other family-run businesses were closed already.

    “Will they be open at this time of night?”

    “Would we be going if they weren’t?” 

    The sharpness of his tone ended the conversation, cutting it short with brutal efficiency, leaving no room for even a peep or murmur. It didn’t help that Ushijima was practically a walking corpse by this point, either. His body threatened to give out under him with every step. He wanted nothing more than to turn around and seek out the comfort of his bed but he couldn’t deny that he enjoyed the rare moments he spent alone with Oikawa.

    As he had been briskly informed, the bakery was indeed open. The elderly couple behind the counter beamed when they saw Oikawa. The man disappeared behind a makeshift curtain into the storeroom while the woman greeted them, talking with Oikawa as one would a son. 

    “Tooru-kun, take a seat. We’ll get your order right out for you, okay? Do you and your friend want some tea?”

    “Thank you, ma’am! We’d love some!”

    With a bow that each of the boys reciprocated, she wobbled to the refrigerator and grabbed out a jug of iced tea and started to cut some fresh lemon slices. Ushijima sat across from Oikawa. Without his usual cologne and fragranced body wash, he smelled musky. His hair stuck up in every direction, unkempt and carefree much like the setter himself. His eyes were distant, as if he was deep in thought. After a few minutes, the couple brought over the tea and a small cake. When they were alone again, Oikawa pushed the dessert to Ushijima’s side of the table.

    “I didn’t know what to get you. I didn’t want it to be too personal and for you to think we’re friends or something. I figured you liked volleyball, and cake is standard for birthdays…” Oikawa laughed in embarrassment, his cheeks tinged pink as he continued, “I didn’t plan it very well though. It was a last minute, snap decision. I really screwed it up, though, huh?” 

    “It’s wonderful.”

    “Bakatoshi, only you would say that. Well, whatever. Happy birthday.”

    “You remembered?”

    “Of course I did. What do you take me for? Do you think I’d willingly hang out with you for any other reason?”

    “I didn’t think anyone knew.”

    “Idiot.”

    “Thank you, Tooru.”

    “Just shut up and eat the cake already.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa is Captain Holt from B99 yelling at Diaz, “Bone? BONE?!”  
> And Kuroo is that meme, “Why are you booing me? You know I’m right.”
> 
> I went a little overboard and wrote a lot. I think this is my longest chapter?
> 
> 8.14.18


End file.
